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@inzien @tetes latent @time JAM-ES A. MRRELL, Oli CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

Letters Patent No. 70,738, dated November 12, 1867; antcdated October 16, 1867.

IMPROVEMENT IN MAGHINES FOR SETTING UP STA'VES IN BARRELS.

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TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: i

Be it known that I, JAMES A. MonnELL, of the 'city of-Chicago, in the county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new Machine for Setting Up and Trussing Barrels; and I do hereby declare that the following is a i'ull, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to thc'accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in whichv I Figure 1 is a side view, with .a portion of the staves removed, showing a portion of the conical centre.

Figure 2, a topview, with several staves inserted.

Figure 3, a top vienr of the hoop-supporter.

Figure 4 is a side view of the same, and

Figure 5 a view of one of the spring-buttons, enlarged nearly to full size.

Like letters refer to the same parts in all of the figures.

The-nature and object of my invention consist in constructing a machine for setting up and trussing barrels, by constructing a conical centre which will hold the hoop-supporters in place, and support a truss-hoop so that its interior surface will be free to receive the staves and hold them on the outside; in providing such.

centre with spring-buttons, to support and hold them on the inside; in providingthe machine with a base, to support and hold the bottomvof the barrel in place, so that the barrels set up and trusscd in this machine will be of uniform size, as the springs will keep the staves full against the truss-hoop and the band of the base, and, in machine-cut and dressedstavea present the end s even and uniform, and, when not so dressed, they will beeven at one end.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

' The conical or cylindrical centre A is made of heavy staves or segments of wood, held together by the hoops rZ. For ordinary barrels it is made about two feet and six inches high, about one foot in diameter at the top, and one foot and six inches at the bottom. It can, however, be made cylindrical, or with the ends ofthe same or nearly the same diameter. It stands upon a circular base, B, which is about two feet in diameter, and surrounded with a band or flange, C, which projects about half an inch above it. .In opere ation, it will be found beneficial to set this base upon a platform provided with a central pin or supporting post, so' that it will revolve. At the upper end of the conicallcentre, I attach to the inside three or more hoop-supporters, D, which are made of iron, and project above the top about iive inches, and'extcnd downwards from six to eight inches. They are inserted in grooves or slots, t, (iig. 2,) and held in place by means of a hook or 'staple-headed bolt,f, which is provided with a nut on the outside of the conical centre, by means of which they are held in place. Thus supporters of diiferent sizes can be readily used. The upper ends ofthese 4supports are carried outwards, and extended 'down so as to support the truss-hoop F at a proper distance from the base B. The outer portions E of these supports are hinged near the middle of the horizontal portion by the hinge b, and held in place by the bar or lock a. This bar or lock may be made in the form shown, or in any other convenient manner. By this arrangement of the supports, the machine can be accommodated io a variation in the size ofthe truss-hoops, and by curving the hooks I slightly, the machine can be accommodated to different sizes, and adjusted in height by the staplefboltsf; but I prefer to make separate machines for the different sizes of cooperage. The truss-hoops F are such as are in ordinary use, and mad-e either of wood or iron, and are prevented from rising in use by the pins g. About four inches below the top of the conical centre, Iprovidc it with a row oi' buttons or button-hcaded pins, c, which are inserted through the stavcs or segments of the centre, and project out about inches. They are inserted loosely in the centre, and are held out in place by coiled or other springs, e, which cause them, in use, to press against the staves H of the barrel, and hold them in place, and against the hoop F and band C. Sixteen of these will usually be found suIicicnt. It will be obvious, however, that their number will be increased or diminished, as wellas the size ofthe other parts, whcnthe size of the machine is increased or diminishedfor different classes of work.

In operation, the truss-hoop If isplaced in the supports I) E, which are then locked or fastened bythe bars or locks a, which are simply turned on. The upper-ends of the staves are then inserted under the hoop, pressed against the buttons c, and, when the lower ends are brought within the bund C, pressed down on to the base B.

When the hoop is full, the locks a are turned to one side, and the hinged portion E of the supports turned up, and the truss-hoop driven down so thatit will hold the staves firmly. The barrel is then lifted off from the machine, and finished in the usual nianner.

By the use of this machine, boys, and persons not skilled in the art, can set up and trussrbarrels with ease and rapidity, and those who are skilled, with increased rapidity and ease.

Having thus fully described my machine, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is- 1. The buttons c, provided with the springs e, substantially as and for the purposes specified. 2. The adjustable truss-hoop supporter D E, constructed and operating substantially as set forth.. 3. The hoop or band C, forkeeping in place and supporting the lower ends of the staves, substantially'as specified. I 4. The lock or stop a, for holding the truss-hoop supporters in place, substantially as described. 5. The standard or cylinder A., base B, and buttons c, in combination with the truss-supports D E ond truss-hoop F, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

JAMES A. MORRELL.

Witnesses:

L. L. BOND, E. A. Wnsr. 

